Kate's Queen City Notes

Blundering through Cincinnati, laughing all the way

Tag Archives: Music festivals


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MPMF16: The Mountain Goats

I am going to stick you in the eye with a foreign object. – The Mountain Goats “Foreign Objects”

This is the year for lyrics. Frank Turner is in my list because of his words. Reggie Watts is in my list because of his snark. The Mountain Goats are in my list because I think my friends have said many of these things about themselves or me.

But The Mountain Goats also muster the same satisfied grin from me that is reserved to They Might Be Giants. Only John Darnielle, writer in all senses, is more personal in his lyrical subject matter. “Istanbul” is a rollicking good time, but it doesn’t express the unreasonable optimism that strikes just after losing your job and your girlfriend.

There’s no real point to cynicism.  The whoomp whoomp baritone saxophone says we all know we’re horrible, but let’s try to have a party anyway. “Ba, ba da da, ba ba ba da, foreign object.”

The Mountain Goats play Saturday Sept. 24th at 815pm at the WNKU stage. I will be there. I will sing like I’m seventeen and will poke you in the eye.


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MPMF16: Frightened Rabbit

The air carried a whisper of fall, and the dry chill made the beer warming and the tight crowd a barrier of warmth holding winter at bay. Death Cab for Cutie was on their Codes and Keys tour. With no research on the opener I was thrilled with the performance I saw. I saw Frightened Rabbit.


The unexpected buoyant melodies warmed the crowd. The intimate outdoor arena was the perfect setting to hear expansive and personal confessions. Let’s see how the years have passed for Frightened Rabbit Saturday the 24th at 7pm at the Elliot Stage.


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MPMF16: Bob Mould

I found Hüsker Dü’s Zen Arcade in the late 80’s and thought what the f*ck is this? Like most moody teens I was listening to The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, and The Pixies with a little splash of what was happening on pop radio. “Never Gonna Give You Up” was in the top ten for 1998. That should tell you all you need to know. In this context, I ran across this.

Because it sounded like little else at the time Hüsker Dü stuck with me. I followed Bob Mould when he formed Sugar in the early 90’s. FUEL became one of my most listed to cassette tapes. It dropped the year I graduated high school and carried me into my first couple years of college. Listening to it now still gives me the nostalgia warm fuzzies.

And this is mostly why I will be watching Bob Mould at MPMF. The first listens I have given his new stuff have been good. But my inner eighteen year old wants to see the shows I didn’t make more than twenty years ago.


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MPMF16: Frank Turner

My last sixteen months resemble these songs.

I love some music because of how it sounds. I love some music because of what it says. Frank Turner belongs to the latter group. In fact, this rousing anthems aren’t typically my bag.

But words that say something to me can redeem much, and these words describe some tough steps I took with the support of some amazing people. It’s not to say that things are perfect now. But, wow, are they better. I am gonna see this show just to see the guy that wrote my reality for the last several months.


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MPMF16: Future Islands

It’s a day at the beach. An industrial waste land of a beach in Baltimore. And all I want to know is Omar coming with them?

“Come at the king, you best not miss.” – Omar Little, The Wire

Just disregard all of that except the beach part. Baltimore is lovely dynamic city, and there’s no way we will get to see Omar Little at MPMF. But the synth-pop sounds of Future Islands will.

But more than the sounds there’s this performance. I am curious to see how Harrington delivers in person. If this is any indicator this might be my first cannot miss band.


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MPMF15 – I Spy

Ok. My schedule… Here we go.

Friday

  • 6pm Jr. Jr.  – Indie Craft Village
  • 715pm Big Scary – The Drinkery
  • 815pm The Donkeys – Christian Moerlein
  • 845pm The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers – Lightborne Lot
  • 915pm Purity Ring – Washington Park
  • 10pm The Ridges – Lightborne Lot
  • 1030pm Roadkill Ghost Choir – Mr. Pitiful’s
  • 1045pm toss-up between HEAT/Heartless Bastards – MOTR/Moerlein
  • 1145pm Sarah Jaffe – Mr. Pitiful’s
  • 12am Bully – MOTR
  • 1215am All Them Witches – The Woodward

Saturday

  • 3pm The Harlequins – Washington Park
  • 515pm Caspian – Washington Park
  • 615pm PRIM – Lightborne Lot
  • 630pm Ride – Washington Park
  • 730pm Culture Queer – LIghtborne Lot
  • 830pm No/No – MOTR
  • 930pm Ggoolldd/Alanna Royale – Maudie’s/Mr. Pitiful’s
  • 10pm Cathedrals – Lightborne Lot
  • 1045pm Sylvan Esso – Moerlein
  • 11pm Strand of Oaks – The Woodward
  • 12am Diet Cig – Maudie’s
  • 1215am Zola Jesus – Taft (BAHHHH WHY??? Between this and Sylvan Esso/Strand of Oaks playing at the same time? Worst conflicts of the fest. This is where not having my bike is a big problem. If you don’t know why I am freaking out, let me elaborate. It’s a 20 minute walk at least between Maudie’s and The Taft. I am guessing that I will have to nix Zola Jesus here.)
  • 1230am Sphynx – The Drinkery

Sunday

  • 3pm Bones Jugs and Harmony – Indie Craft Villiage
  • 5pm Gran Bel Fisher – Washington Park
  • 615pm Great Peacock – Washington Park
  • 730pm Pokey LaFarge – Washington Park
  • 845pm Iron and Wine – Washington Park
  • 9pm Kid Runner – The Drinkery
  • 945pm Public – The Taft
  • 1030pm The Tuneyards – Moerlein
  • 1145pm Pure Bathing Culture – Mr. Pitiful’s

Bahhhhh!!! this is happening!!!!


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MPMF15 – I Fell Off the Wagon

I failed miserably at posting my recommendations this week. It’s hard  moving to another city and trying to suck every amazing experience out of it as quickly as possible. See other blog posts for more on that topic.

Here’s what I would have recommended this week had I managed to do it.

  • American Wrestlers
  • Caspian
  • Public
  • Roadkill Ghost Choir
  • Ggoolldd
  • Diet Cig
  • Sweet and the Sweet Sweets

Here’s what I have already seen and loved. The only reason these bands didn’t make my must-see is because I have seen them, in some cases multiple times. They are excellent, don’t let the fact that I might skip them for acts I haven’t seen dissuade you from checking them out.

Now all that’s left to do is get my Schedule for the fest sorted. I say that as though this is an easy task. It’s not. Post coming soon.


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MPMF15 Must See – Miracles of Modern Science

“I’ve been so drunk on safety.” Yeah, which is how I am just now living across the country. So, I get those feels Miracles of Modern Science.

I’m excited to see what this performance is liken given the unusual instrumentation of this act. Violin, cello, mandolin, drums and sometimes bass? Why not? I wonder if that drummer ever feels outnumbered by all those string players. See them at Arnold’s at 9:45 Saturday the 26th.


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MPMF15 Must See – Sylvan Esso

And here it is. My favorite song discovered in my MPMF15 listening.

I love this song so hard I want to marry it. That might be an exaggeration. That song would be difficult to cuddle with.

I am not often a fan of seeing electronic music performed live. Watching people work at computers isn’t a compelling visual for me. As one of my photographer friends said at Bunbury this year, “What’s pleasing to the ears is not necessarily pleasing to the eye.” And no better phrase can sum up my thoughts on seeing DJs or any other performer doing things with technology.

But I am curious to see what Amelia Meath makes of her vocal performance along side producer, Nick Sanborn. The duo come together in the most acoustically pleasing way with Meath’s vocals floating across time by laying the past on top of Sanborn’s modern beats. The contrast is alluring. If you love Portishead, this performance is a must.

Join me at Sylvan Esso on Saturday Sept. 26th at the Christian Moerlein stage at 1045.


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MPMF15 Must See – Strand of Oaks

I climbed a mountain today. On the way down the mountain I saw a woman carrying what appeared to be a swaddled baby in her arms. The climb was strenuous. My first thought was – what the hell is happening here?

That was also my thought when I listened to TImothy Showalter’s, the dude behind Strand of Oaks, top four songs on Spotify. “Goshen 97” gives “Summer of ’69” a run in terms of a nostalgic anthem for all things about making music and being young. “Shut In” is dripping with big Bruce Springsteen feels. “JM” is all Iron and Wine goes electric that morphs into dark, pulsing rock. “HEAL” is a synthed-out Orgy/Bauhaus baby. See for yourself.

You will have to go to Spotify for the others. But that should be enough for you to pick up what I’m throwing down. So, back to my thought, what the hell is going on here? I don’t have an answer to that question. But I do know that I want to see this guy. I’m curious to see how the show holds together with music that is running across the board. Plus, Showalter’s lyrics are punching me right in the feels.

I do know what the hell was going on with the woman headed up the mountain with a baby. She wasn’t holding a baby. She had her jacket wrapped up in her arms and was cradling it, which killed my curiosity immediately. Maybe I never what to know what the hell is going on with Strand of Oaks and just enjoy it.